Lecture 10: Moral Development Flashcards
What is def of morality
How people should interact with each other
• Principles concerning the distinction between right/wrong and
good/bad behaviour • Justice
• Welfare
• Fairness
Morality is based on what 3 adjectives
Justice
Welfare
Fairness’s
True or false and explain: morality of actions is ambiguous
True
Killing people is immoral but train example
According to Piaget, development of moral judgment relies on what
opment
True or false: according to Piaget Development of moral judgment relies ONLY on cognitive development
False, peer interactions also matter
According to Piaget theory of moral reasoning, what can children do as they get older
they get older, children are increasingly able to appreciate the importance of intentions when judging the morality of actions
How did Piaget asssess moral judgement
Assessed moral judgement with short stories about something a child did and asking children about the morality of the actions
• Interested in justification for why an action is viewed as right or wrong
Piaget Assessed moral judgement with short stories about something a child did and asking children about the morality of the actions
What was her intersteed in
Interested in justification for why an action is viewed as right or wrong
Understand Piaget stories to assess morality
John: “A little boy who is called John is in his room. He is called to dinner. He goes into the dining room. But behind the door there was a chair, and on the chair there was a tray with fifteen cups on it. John couldn’t have known that there was all this behind the door. He goes in, the door knocks against the tray, bang go the fifteen cups, and they all get broken!”
• Henry: “Once there was a little boy whose name was Henry. One day when his mother was out he tried to get some jam out of the cupboard. He climbed up onto a chair and stretched out his arm. But the jam was too high up and he couldn’t reach it and have any. But while he was trying to get it he knocked over a cup. The cup fell down and broke.”
• Which child is naughtier?
How were the stories of John and Henry in Piaget stories for morality different in terms of outcome and intention
John: outcome was worse (broke more glasses) but he did not know/it was unintentional
He try: outcome was better (broke less glasses) but intention was bad because he was breaking a rule intentionally
What are Piaget 3 stages of moral judgement
Premoral
heteronomous
Autonomous
In Piaget theory of moral reasoning, are his stages continuous or discontinuous
Discontinuous
Explain how Piaget theory of moral reasoning is discontinuous
Each represents a qualitatively different way of thinking
True or false: in Piaget theory of moral reasoning stages occur in a fixed order
True
What happens between stages in Piaget theory of moral development
Brief transition between stages
What is the age of premoral stage
Birth to 5 years old
Explain the premoral stage of Piaget moral development.
Birth – 5 years old
• Unaware of rules and thus unable to distinguish between right and wrong
At the premoral stage, kids are unaware of what which means they are unable to do what
• Unaware of rules and thus unable to distinguish between right and wrong
Why do children not understand morality in the premoral stage
Rules are abstract and children have not developed capacity for anostract thought
What is the age for the 6-10 years old
Heteronomous morality stage
How do kids in the heteronomous stage define morality
Morality = obeying rules of parents and other authority figures
• Breaking a rule will lead to imminent and severe punishment
According to kids in the heteronomous morality stage, breaking a rule will lead to what
Imminent and severe punishment
At what stage do they think rules are unchangeable and can never be broke
Heteronomous
Explain how in the heteronomous morality statsgr they believe that rules are unchangeable and can never be broken
Belief that rules are real things that are objectively true rather than made up by human mind
At what state is outcome of an action more important than intention
Heteronomous
In heteronomous morality stage, which is more important : outcome or intentions
Outcome of an action is m important than intention
In the heteronomous stage, what kid will be more naughty and why
• Judge child that broke 15 glasses (John) as naughtier because outcome was worse
Because outcome of an action is more important than intention
What age is the autonomous morality stage
11 +
At what stage do children recognize that there are no absilte right and wrong
Autonomous morality stage
True or false: in the autonomous morality stage
Children recognize that there are absolute right and wrong
False,
Children recognize that there is no absolute right and wrong
Explain how in the autonomous morality stage that children recognize that there is no right or wrong absolutes
Understand that rules are the product of social agreement
• Consider fairness and equality as important factors to consider when making rules
• No longer accept blind obedience to authority
Children in the autonomous morality state understand that rules are a product of what
Social agreement
I’m the autonomous morality stage, children consider what two aspects as important factors to consider when making rules
Fairness and equality
What age/ stage do children no lomger accept blind obedience to authority
Autonomous
What stage do motives and intensional matter
Autonomous morality stage
What is childrens opinion on intention at the autonomous morality stage I
Motives and intentions matter
In the autonomous morality stage, children will judge which kid as more naughty and why
Judge child that broke 1 glass (Henry) as naughtier because was trying to sneak jam
Because Motives and intentions matter
What are Piaget 2 main contribution
First to acknowledge that moral reasoning is related to cognitive development
• Research supports this
• Recognized that children are increasingly able to take intentions into account as they age
Piaget was the first to akcknolodge what about morality
First to acknowledge that moral reasoning is related to cognitive development
• Research supports this
Piaget recognized what about children in terms of his contributions to morality
Recognized that children are increasingly able to take intentions into account as they age
What is the main weakness of Piaget theoryvof or morality
Underestimated children’s ability to appreciate the importance of intentions
• Evidence that children can appreciate intentions much earlier than 11 years old
Explain how Piaget Underestimated children’s ability to appreciate the importance of intentions
Evidence that children can appreciate intentions much earlier than 11 years old
What was the main question about intentions and children by dunfield
Can children appreciate intentions at 2 years of age
What is a possible reasoning for why dunfield chose 2 year olds about understanding intentions
Because they develop self conscious emotions and appreciate others have expectation of them
What was the study about if infants (21 months) can appreciate intentions
• 21-month-olds participated in a lab task with 2 adults
• Infants stood at a table with both adults
• Both adults offered to give the infant a toy by placing it at the edge of the table but ultimately the child didn’t get the toy
• Negative intention: adult pulled the toy away
• Positive intention: adult watched in surprise as the toy rolled away from
the infant
• Then, experimenter presents both adults with a single new toy
• Toyfallstothefloorandbothadultsreachforit
What was the negative intention of the study in can infants appreciate intentions
Both adults offered to give the infant a toy by placing it at the edge of the table but ultimately the child didn’t get the toy
• Negative intention: adult pulled the toy away
What was the position intention of the study about can 2 year olds understand intention
Both adults offered to give the infant a toy by placing it at the edge of the table but ultimately the child didn’t get the toy
• Positive intention: adult watched in surprise as the toy rolled away from
the infant
In part 1 of dunfield study about children and intention, what was the same, the outcome or the intention
Outcome was the same it intention was diff
If Piaget theory about outcomes being more important that intentions (at 2) was right what would the results of dunfield show when the toy is dropped and they have to help adult
They will not help at all or they will help equally (show no preference since outcome was same even with diff intention)
If Piaget theory about outcomes being more important that intentions (at 2) was wrong (ie can understand intentions matter) what would the results of dunfield show when the toy is dropped and they have to help adult
Children should prefer to help adults that had the positive intention
What were the results in terms of helping for the dunfield part 1 study
67 helped
33 did not help
(Showing prosaically behaviour )
What were the results of the dunfield study in terms of who the children helped
75 helped adult with position intention
25 helped adult with negative intention
The results of the dunfield study about two year olds and intentions are evidence of what
Selective helping
The results of dunfield study part 1 are contrary to Piaget how
ContrarytoPiaget’stheory,suggeststhat21-month-oldsareabletoappreciate
intentions when judging others’ actions
What did part 2 of dunfield study change
But what if different outcomes of actions? Will infants still base decision to help on intention
What was the difference for. The follow up procedure about two year olds understanding intention
Same procedure except:
• Positive intention but negative outcome: clearly offered the toy to the infant and watched in surprise as the toy rolled away
• Positive intention and positive outcome: clearly offered the toy to the infant and child was able to examine it
• Then, experimenter presents both adults with a single new toy • Toyfallstothefloorandbothadultsreachforit
Explain the positive intention but negative outcome for dunfield study
Clearly offered the toy to the infant and watched in surprise as the toy rolled away
Explain the positive intention and position outcome of the follow up study of 2 year olds understanding intention
Clearly offered the toy to the infant and child was able to examine it
What were the results of the follow up dunfield study about intentions in terms of how many kids help3d
76 helped
24 didn’t
What were the results of the follow up study of dunfield in terms of who they helped and what does that show
56 negative outcome
44 positive outcome
Snows that kids have no preference for who they helped (intentions more important than outcomes)
What did the fact 21 month olds helped the adults equally suggest in the follow up of dunfield study
suggesting that infants care more about intentions than outcomes when judging
others’ actions
How was kohlberg influenced by Piaget in terms of morality
Moral development tied to cognitive development
How many stages are there in kohlberg theory of moral reasoning and explain
• 3 stages (2 sub-stages at each stage) where children increasingly take others into account in decisions about how to behave
What are the 3 stages of kohlberg theory of moral reasoning
Preconventional •
Conventional
• Postconventional
True or false: kohlberg theory of moral reasoning is culturally universal
True
Explain the Heinz dilemma
• A woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to produce. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about $1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.
•
Should Heinz have broken into the store to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not?
•
Whether a child thinks Heinz should or shouldn’t is irrelevant, what matters is the reasoning behind answer
What is the age of the preconventiomal stage
2 to 7
Explain the preconventiomal moral reasoning stage of
Focus on the self getting rewards and avoiding punishment from
authority figures
• Intentions don’t matter
• Not aware of social conventions
• Rules are fixed and absolute
In the preconventiomal moral reasoning stage, children focus on what
Focus on self getting rewards and avoiding punishment from authority figures
Explain how the preconventiomal moral reasoning is self focuses
Focus on the self getting rewards and avoiding punishment from
authority figures
True or false: I’m the preconventional stage, intentions matter
False they don’t
Are children aged 2-7 aware of social conventions according to the preconventional stage
Not aware
In what stage of kohlberg stage theory of moral development. Are rules fixed and absolute
Preconventional
How would children in the preconventional moral reasomimg stage react to Heinz dilemma
Heinz dilemma:
• “It’s wrong to steal the drug to save your wife because you might get caught.”
• “Heinz should steal the drug, because if his wife dies, Heinz will be blamed and will go to jail
What age is the conventional moral reasoning stage
7 to 15
At what stage do children focus on compliance with social duties, Norms , laws
Conventional moral reasoning g
In the conventional moral reasoning stage, children focus what
Compliance with social duties, norms and laws
Explain conventional moral reasoning t
Focus on compliance with social duties, norms, and laws
• Good behaviour is doing what is approved of by the social group or what is consistent with the law
• “Good girl”/ “good boy” attitude
According to children in the conventional moral reasoning stage, good behaviour is doing what
Good behaviour is doing what is approved of by the social group or what is consistent with the law
How would children in the conventional moral reasoning stage react to Heinz dilemma
• “It’s wrong for Heinz to steal because it’s against the law. Heinz wants society to approve of his actions, so he doesn’t steal the drug.”
• “It’s right to steal because Heinz means well by trying to help his dying wife. He’ll pay the druggist the money when he is able, or accept the consequences for stealing the drug.”
What age is the postconventional moral reasoning
As early as 12
True or false: everyone reaches the post conventional moral reasoning
False, not everyone
What do children in post conventional moral reasoning focus on
Focus on moral ideals, rather than societal conventions
In what stage do children Focus on moral ideals, rather than societal conventions
Post conventional
How is morality defined in post conventional stage
Morality is upholding rules that are in the best interest of the group or
universal ethical principles
• Life, liberty, basic human rights
• These principles need to be upheld regardless of majority opinion or the law
How do children in the post conventional moral theory react to Heinz dlimenna
Heinz dilemma:
• “It’s not wrong for Heinz to steal because human life must be preserved and life is worth more than money or personal property. “
What are kohlberg two major contributions to moral dev
Moral reasoning changes systematically as children grow older •
Cross-cultural universality of changes in moral reasoning
What is the weaknessses of kohlberg theory of moral devlemolment
Children and adults show inconsistencies in their moral reasoning •
People often reason at different levels on different occasions
• More likely to reason at lower levels if can personally benefit
What is the current dominant theory of moral development
Social domaim theory of moral development
Social knowledge is made up of 3 domains: what are they
Moral
Societal
Personal
How are the domains developed in the social domain theory of moral development
Domains are developed in parallel rather than sequentially like in Piaget’s and Kohlberg’s theories
In the social domain theory, is there gradual or major changes in moral reasoning
Gradual
In the social domain theory of moral dev, Gradual changes in moral reasoning through what
interactions with peers and adults
Explain moral domain
• Rules that govern actions that have an impact on others’ welfare and their rights
• Guided by universal concepts of right and wrong, fairness, justice, and individual rights that apply across contexts
• Children learn about this domain through socialization from parents
Explain rules in the moral domain
Rules that govern actions that have an impact on others’ welfare and their rights
The moral domain is guided by what
Guided by universal concepts of right and wrong, fairness, justice, and individual rights that apply across contexts
How do children learn about the moral domain
Through socialization from parents
Explain the societal domain
Rules and conventions that promote the smooth functioning of society
• Some of these rules are arbitrary and some have important consequences
• Understand that these conventions are created by authority figures and can be changed
Explain rules in the societal domain
Rules and conventions that promote the smooth functioning of society
Explain personal domain
Actions in which individual preferences are the main consideration •
No right or wrong choices
• Decisions in this domain are central to development of autonomy and identity
In the personal domain, what type of actions are the main consideration
Actions in which individuals preferences are the main consideration
Decisions in what domain are central to development of autonomy and identity
Personal domain
Decisions in the personal domain are central to development of what
autonomy and identity
What are the 3 implications fo the social domain theory of moral development
Thinking about social issues requires coordinating knowledge from these 3 domains
• Individuals vary in their ability to coordinate this knowledge leading to inconsistencies in judgments across contexts
• Parallel development predicts that moral-based judgments should be possible from a younger age than Piaget and Kohlberg thought
True or false
According to the social domain theory of moral dev: ndividuals vary in their ability to coordinate this knowledge leading to inconsistencies in judgments across contexts
True
What is the evidence for social domain theory
• Children distinguish between 3 domains early in life, showing that these domains do develop in parallel
• Age 3: kids generally believe that violations of moral rules are more wrong than violations of societal conventions
• E.g.,seehittingsomeoneasmorewrongthannotsaying“please”
• Believe that they should have control in personal domain
• Age 4: kids see moral transgressions as wrong, even if an adult doesn’t
know about it and even if adults have not said it was wrong
• E.g., learn about school where hitting is allowed and see this as a bad rule vs. learn about school where taking off your clothes when it’s hot is allowed and see this as okay
• Children distinguish between 3 domains early in life, showing what
that these domains do develop in parallel
explain. Evidence for social domain theory at age 3
Age 3: kids generally believe that violations of moral rules are more wrong than violations of societal conventions
• E.g.,seehittingsomeoneasmorewrongthannotsaying“please”
• Believe that they should have control in personal domai
Explain evidence for social domain theory at age 4
Age 4: kids see moral transgressions as wrong, even if an adult doesn’t
know about it and even if adults have not said it was wrong
• E.g., learn about school where hitting is allowed and see this as a bad rule vs. learn about school where taking off your clothes when it’s hot is allowed and see this as okay
Moral societal and personal domains exist across cultures?
Yes
Are there similarities in moral domain across cultures and explain
Yes
• All cultures view judgments about behaviours related to fairness and others’ welfare as in the moral domain
Are there differences in moral domain across cultures and explain
Yes
Differences across cultures in what falls within moral, societal and personal domain
• E.g., helping parents is a moral judgment in collectivistic cultures but a personal judgment in individualistic cultures
Piaget and kohlberg viewed morality as learned or innate
Learned
What was the study about if moral judgement is innate
Tested 6-month-olds (some babies as young as 4.5 months olds) in a preferential reaching paradigm
• Watched a play in which a red puppet is trying to climb up a hill but fails • Helper: Yellow puppet comes and helps red puppet
• Hinderer: Blue puppet pushes red puppet down
What were the results of the moral judgment innate study
Depending on the study, 75-100% of babies prefer the helper vs. hinderer
• Follow-up with 3-month-olds using preferential looking paradigm shows that they also prefer helper over hinderer
What do the results of the moral innate or learned study suggest
Since babies don’t understand language and can’t be explicitly taught about morality, suggests that moral judgment is innate!
Understand the summary page of Piaget, kohlberg, social domain
What is pro social behaviour
Voluntary behaviour intended to benefit others •
Helping
• Sharing
• Comforting others
What are important motivators of pro social behaviour
Empathy and sympathy
Empathy and sympathy are what type of emotions in terms or morality
Pro social emotions
What is empathy
Understanding and sharing the
emotional state of another person
What does empathy require
Requires being able to appreciate that source of own emotion is another person
Empathy is the outcome of what
Perspective taking
What is sympathy
Feeling of concern for another
person in response to the their emotional state
Sympathy is the outcome of what
Empathy
True or false: sympathy is the outcome of perspective taking
False, empathy is
How does prosocial behaviour happen schema
Perspective taking
Empathy
Sympathy
Prosocial behaviour
Explain prosocial behaviour before 18. Months
Before 18 months: children tend to react to others’ distress with self- focused distress rather than prosocial behaviour
Explain why
Before 18 months: children tend to react to others’ distress with self- focused distress rather than prosocial behaviour
They have no developed a sense of self as different from others
When does prosocial behaviour appear in infancy
18-25 months
True or false: prosocial behaviour is seen before 18 months
False prosocial behaviour is appearing at 18-25
Why does prosocial behaviour appear at 18-25 months
 Due to capacity to feel empathy and sympathy
• Facilitated by emergence of sense of self around 18months of age
ADD SURGD ABOUT PROSOCIAL. BEAHVIOR I. I FANCY
True or false: Prosocial behaviour increases throughout childhood
True
Why does Prosocial behaviour increases throughout childhood
• Due to more sophisticated moral reasoning and improved perspective taking ability
what are the 2 reasons theres for individual differences in prosocial behavior
genetics (nature)
socialization by parents (nurture)
what is proof that there is a genetic basis of prosocial behaviour
identical twins are more similar in their level of prosocial behaviour than fraternal twins
what is a possible explanation for differences in prosocial behavior in terms of genetics
possible involvement of indiviaul differences in oxytocin gene
what is oxytocin
neurohormone involved in social bonding and childbirth
genetic differences manifet as differences in temperment: what are the 2 ways
emotion regulation
bahavioral inhibition (shyness)
exmplain how emotion regulation is associated with prosocial behaviour
ability to experience emotion without getting overwhelmed by it is associated with empathy
=better emotion reg = easier prosocial
explain how behavioral inhibition (shyness) is associted with prosocial behavior
high level of shyness is negatvively associated with helping
high level of shyness is negatively associated with what
helping
what are the three factors important for socialization by parents
modelling of prosocial behavior and teaching prosocial values
providing opportunities for child to engage in prosocial behaviour
parenting style
explain modelling of prosocial behavior and teaching of prosocial values
children tend to be similar to parents in terms of prosocial behaviour because they copy their behavior
sympathy inducing rationales most likely to lead to internalization of social values
(lets donate money because they need it more than us and it will make them happy vs because its a good/nice thing to do
why do children tend to be similar to parents in terms of prosocial behaviour
because they copy their behaviour
what is the most likely way to lead to internalization of prosocial behaviors and give example
sympathy inducing rationales most likely to lead to internalization of social values
(lets donate money because they need it more than us and it will make them happy vs because its a good/nice thing to do
explain providing opportunities for child to engage in prosocial behaviour
performing house hold chores
community service hours in highschool
icnreases childrens willingness to take on prosocial tasks in the future
fosters perspective taking
what does providing opportunities for child to engage in proscial behavior do
increases childrens willingness to take on prosocial tasks in the future
fosters perspective taking
epxin parenting style in prosocial behaviour
authoritative parenting is associated with prosocial behaviour
=if kids experience warmth from parents, mosre likely to show warmth to others
=discipline that uses reasoning to point out consequences of behavior on someone else
offering rewards for prosocial behaviour or punishment for not behaving prosiclly often backfire
what type of parenting is associted with prosocial behavior
authoritaive
explain why authoritative parenting is associated with prosocial behavior
=if kids experience warmth from parents, mosre likely to show warmth to others
==if kids experience warmth from parents, mosre likely to show warmth to others
true or false: offering rewards for prosocial behavior or punishment for not behaving prosocially often backfire
true
true or false: you can have 2/3 factors of socialization by parents is important
false, none of them individual is enough
all three factors are important
true or false: before 18 months, seeing someone else in distress most often leads to empathy
false, leads to self distress
individual differences in prosocial behavior are due to differences in what
genetics and socialization
